Firebacks

Description: Five-facetted arched shape; ovolo-moulded edging comprising two separate lengths of moulding repeated to form sides and arch; shield of Hickman (per pale indented argent and azure) impaling Nevile (?gules a saltire argent) within repeated laurel leaves inside a scrolled cartouche; date top centre.

Notes: William Hickman of Old Hall, Gainsborough, 2nd Baronet (1629-82), married Elizabeth Neville of Mattersey, Nottinghamshire, c.1652. The multi-facetted arch calls to mind a series of firebacks cast in the Weald which are also associated with the Nevills (see 1589 series), although they are of earlier date.

Inscription: 1658

Arms: Hickman impaling Neville; Sir William Hickman

Description: Cavetto-canted arched rectangular shape; rebated wide fillet edging; shield of Llewellyn impaling unidentified arms: (Llewellyn) Per fesse embattled, azure and or, a javelin erect, between two boars' heads erased in chief, and a like boar's head between two javelins in base, all counterchanged; below, scroll bearing the motto, Gwell angau na Chywilydd (Death before Dishonour), possibly inscribed after casting.

Notes: The arms were granted to Robert William Llewellyn of Court Colman and Baglan Hall, Glamorgan, in 1902.

Inscription: Gwell angau na Chywilydd {Better death than shame]

Arms: Llewellyn, of Court Colman, Glamorgan

Description: Rectangular; inset twisted rope edging (top and sides); crowned Tudor royal shield stamp repeated three times across top, each pair interspersed with an 'imp' figure with right arm raised; below each shield, rectangular stamp with indistinct ?rose design, each pair interspersed with a twisted rope saltire.

Notes: The crowned shield and 'imp' figure associate this fireback with others of the Royal series; the saltires may have apotropaic significance. Illustration from Starkie Gardner 1898, p. 143.

Arms: Tudor royal arms of England

Description: Low stepped-arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; central shield backed by a cartouche, surrounded by grape bunches, vines and leaves.

Notes: Arms of the Worshipful Company of Vintners - sable, a chevron between three tuns argent - were granted in 1442. From a photograph in the J. Starkie Gardner Collection, Victoria & Albert Museum, Archive of Art and Design (AAD/2014/8).

Arms: Worshipful Company of Vintners

Description: Composite; arched rectangular shaped, armorial fireback, cavetto edging, with Stuart Royal arms, garter, supporters, crown and motto, and 1639 date above crown; this overlies a rectangular plate with fillet edging; top centre in the space each side of the central shield, an initial letter - W to left, C to right.

Notes: One of several variants using a fireback with the English Stuart royal arms, the date probably altered according to when it was cast. The original date of the fireback was probably 1619. Garth's Auctioneers, Columbus, OH, 3 Jan 2015, lot 2347 ($300).

Inscription: 1639 / W C

Arms: English Stuart royal

Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Notes: One of four firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 77cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Notes: One of four firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 31cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Notes: One of 23 firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 48cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

Description: Rectangular shape; no edging; shield of the 2nd Duke of Montagu surrounded by the Garter and surmounted by a ducal coronet.

Notes: One of five firebacks at Boughton House, Northamptonshire, cast with the ducal arms and the Garter having a diameter of 59cm. Fifty firebacks were cast for the house between 1743 and 1748 by Richard Ford, probably at Nibthwaite Furnace, but also possibly at Newland furnace, both then in north Lancashire. The arms are blazoned: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Argent, three fusils conjoined in fess gules, a bordure sable (Montagu); 2nd & 3rd: Or an eagle displayed vert beaked and membered gules (Monthermer); on an escutcheon of pretence, Sable a lion rampant Argent a canton Argent charged with a cross Gules (Churchill); John, 2nd Duke of Montagu married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John, 1st Duke of Marlborough.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: HONI.SOIT.QUI.MAL.Y.PENSE

Arms: Montagu quartering Monthermer with Churchill in an escutcheon of pretence - John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, KG

Description: Arched rectangular; ovolo-moulded egg and dart edging; shield surmounted by helm and indistinct crest, with elaborate mantling.

Notes: Blazon (bordure bezanty impaling a chevron between three bugle horns) is unidentified. The date of c.1730 suggested by Gentle and Feild is unlikely to be correct.

Arms: Not known